Animoto is a digital tool that is available free of charge to users who are willing to set up an account. As a quick side note, additional services in Animoto, such as enhanced video quality, more intriguing video formats, and unlimited video run time can be obtained through an EDU account, or a users willingness to purchase the Animoto service. Once an account is created, the user has access to video formats, and if the user is already networked through Facebook, he or she can sign in with that information. Fortunately, Animoto provides all of the necessary set up within its infrastructure, making the creation of the video simple. The tool itself can be accessed at www.animoto.com.
Animoto is a nationally recognized tool, having been featured by NBC, National Geographic, CNN, and The New York Times. Its ease of use has made it a popular tool. Users are able to import pictures to the website, either from their own collection, or an online collection, and add captions to each picture. In the Overview for the Animoto website, the creators of the tool give a simple three-step process for creating a video (these steps will be covered later in the How To... section of this post). In the Features section, the creators of the tool mention the ease of sharing the videos that have been created. For example, videos can be shared over Tumblr, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Flickr. Secondly, the user has the opportunity to choose from quite a few video styles. These video formats contain unique effects and transitions, allowing the user to personalize his or her video. The beauty of these formats lies in the ability to create more abstractly themed videos, or personalize them for the holidays. An additional side note: Animoto Pro (a paid service through Animoto) gives the user access to video themes created for businesses. This is at an additional cost. Thirdly, music selections are available to enhance the effect of the video. Animoto provides music tracks within its site, allowing the user to choose from various and sundry music themes. A user is also able to import his or her own mp3s. In addition to these wonderful attributes, Animoto offers the videos in high definition. Animoto's "heart" includes up-to-date cinematic technology, which allows it to think like a director. The images and music are analyzed, then combined, giving it the unique effect of a polished, professional movie. Lastly, Animoto has the ability to be used online, and as an app. The video can be created on either Android or iOS devices, and shared through any of the above-mentioned mediums.
Benefits of Tool or App
Quick and easy to use.
Professional editing within the Animoto site.
Music is already housed in the Animoto site.
Students can use it easily with little teacher support.
Teachers can use Animoto for pre-, during, and post-reading strategies.
Tool can be used as a summative or formal assessment tool.
Animoto is engaging, and requires critical thinking to combine the pictures with a theme that the students must elaborate on.
Constraints of Tool or App
Students are unable to create a video longer than thirty seconds unless they use the teacher's EDU account.
Students must confine the title of their video to 22 characters.
Students must confine the captions for the pictures on each slide to 30 characters.
Students cannot upload their own mp3s if they are longer than 10 Mb. (This is a constraint that many students will not encounter; however, it is still a constraint of the Animoto site.)
How To Use Tool or App
Animoto is incredibly easy to use. The following link gives the simplistic method of creating videos in Animoto. http://animoto.com/features
Preview the video (as seen in the screen shot above).
Share via Twitter, Facebook, Flickr, and so on!
Original Artifact of Tool or App (created by someone in your house)
The following link is an Animoto video that our "house" created to engage faculty members in upcoming professional development. As a "house", we collaborated on a video that would serve as a motivational tool for faculty to attend PD. During PD, we showed faculty how the Animoto videos can be created, and how they could be used in the classroom (noted below in Classroom Uses for Tool or App).
Description of Tool or App
Animoto is a digital tool that is available free of charge to users who are willing to set up an account. As a quick side note, additional services in Animoto, such as enhanced video quality, more intriguing video formats, and unlimited video run time can be obtained through an EDU account, or a users willingness to purchase the Animoto service. Once an account is created, the user has access to video formats, and if the user is already networked through Facebook, he or she can sign in with that information. Fortunately, Animoto provides all of the necessary set up within its infrastructure, making the creation of the video simple. The tool itself can be accessed at www.animoto.com.
Animoto is a nationally recognized tool, having been featured by NBC, National Geographic, CNN, and The New York Times. Its ease of use has made it a popular tool. Users are able to import pictures to the website, either from their own collection, or an online collection, and add captions to each picture. In the Overview for the Animoto website, the creators of the tool give a simple three-step process for creating a video (these steps will be covered later in the How To... section of this post). In the Features section, the creators of the tool mention the ease of sharing the videos that have been created. For example, videos can be shared over Tumblr, Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and Flickr. Secondly, the user has the opportunity to choose from quite a few video styles. These video formats contain unique effects and transitions, allowing the user to personalize his or her video. The beauty of these formats lies in the ability to create more abstractly themed videos, or personalize them for the holidays. An additional side note: Animoto Pro (a paid service through Animoto) gives the user access to video themes created for businesses. This is at an additional cost. Thirdly, music selections are available to enhance the effect of the video. Animoto provides music tracks within its site, allowing the user to choose from various and sundry music themes. A user is also able to import his or her own mp3s. In addition to these wonderful attributes, Animoto offers the videos in high definition. Animoto's "heart" includes up-to-date cinematic technology, which allows it to think like a director. The images and music are analyzed, then combined, giving it the unique effect of a polished, professional movie. Lastly, Animoto has the ability to be used online, and as an app. The video can be created on either Android or iOS devices, and shared through any of the above-mentioned mediums.
Benefits of Tool or App
Constraints of Tool or App
How To Use Tool or App
Animoto is incredibly easy to use. The following link gives the simplistic method of creating videos in Animoto.
http://animoto.com/features
Original Artifact of Tool or App (created by someone in your house)
The following link is an Animoto video that our "house" created to engage faculty members in upcoming professional development. As a "house", we collaborated on a video that would serve as a motivational tool for faculty to attend PD. During PD, we showed faculty how the Animoto videos can be created, and how they could be used in the classroom (noted below in Classroom Uses for Tool or App).
http://tinyurl.com/EAMS8-2
Classroom Uses for Tool or App
Student Uses
Teacher Uses